I woke up in Rotterdam today! I’m not sure if the bed was comfier or I desperately needed sleep, but it was one of the best sleeps of my life. We got breakfast and hopped on the bus toward our first stop of the day: Waternoodsmuseum. I didn’t know much about this place before going, but the scenic ride there gave me hope that it was going to be really cool.

This museum commemorated a huge flood in 1953 that killed 1,836 people. It took place across the Netherlands, but we got to see stories and artifacts from the townspeople of Zeeland. It was incredibly moving reading about the devastation of the flood and the unexpected grief it brought to thousands of people. Since this flood, the Netherlands invested in great measures for water safety, including strengthening Dykes, widening rivers, and installing more drainage systems in cities. Though a flood of this degree would be handled more efficiently given our current technology, there’s not enough sorries that can be given to memorialize the victims of the 1953 flood. I’m grateful that I got to chance to see some of the Netherlands important history today. 

We all walked outside the museum to a beautiful scene. It was the National Park of Oosterschelde, where there was a watery nature conservation area with special vegetation and a variety of birds. It is stationed between the dyke (which the museum was in) and the sea embankment a couple miles away. Mixed with the sunshine and blue skies, I could have sat and watched this scene for hours. I’m a sucker for a nature walk! 

After our visit, we hoped back on the bus to go to our second visit: Neeltjie Jans Deltaworks. Our tour guide walked us through the museum and told us the history of the Deltaworks that was built around the 1960s. We even got to go in a flood simulator and see what it was like for the people in the area… very intense to say the least. A nice part of the visit was getting to go on a boat around the windmills. I had no idea windmills were so big in person! I also definitely underestimated the windiness that the coast brought because my shorts and tank top did not cut it! Another favorite part of my day was trying fish and chips for the first time (technically “kibbeling met frites”) which were absolutely delicious, 10/10. 

Now that we’re back in Amsterdam, we’re going to enjoy this beautiful sunshine (that seems pretty rare in the Netherlands) and walk through the streets for some food and shopping. Overall, today was another great day on the agenda, and I’m excited for another fun day tomorrow!